An international search force is returning to a remote area 1,500 miles off the coast of Australia, two weeks after the plane went missing

Hishammuddin Hussein says that Australia will need to share the cost of the search for flight MH370.

The Acting Minister of Transport added that the country's financial responsibility depended on the search area and assets deployed.

He also confirmed that Malaysia had not been asked to pay for any of the help it has received from other nations during the search.

2:51 pm

Acting Minister of Transport, Hishammuddin Hussein, has said that President Najib Razak should not have resigned in the face of missing flight MH370.

After being reminded that the South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won had stepped down due to a fumbled response to a ferry disaster that killed 300 people, Hussein said there were distinct differences.

He said: “Did the president resign? You have to look at it in the context of the political structure of Korea.”

Hussein also said that while the plane had not yet been found the circumstances were unprecedented and should be taken into account.

2:09 pm

Flight MH370 could have been found if airline bosses had paid an extra £6 to upgrade tracking software, according to a new book.

The publication, called Flight MH370: The Mystery, claims that the jet had a data package that would only transmit the most basic flight information.

For £6 more the package could have been improved resulting in far more information about its movements being pinged.

This would have made the search easier and possibly could have led hunters to the plane.

The book weighs in on several possible theories about what could have happened to the missing Malaysia Airline flight.

12:53 pm

The military did not intercept flight MH370 because Malaysia was not in war mode, says Acting Minister of Transport Hishammuddin Hussein.

As it veered off course, the jet flew westerly and was spotted by the military after it dropped off the civilian radar at around 1:30am.

Conspiracists cite this as a possible sign of a terror attack and question why personnel did not treat the speeding aircraft as a possible threat.

Hussein explained that because Malaysia was not in war mode the military would have no reason to intercept the plane.

He also added that the plane was not heading towards the federal administrative capital of Putrajaya which would give the military even less reason to interfere with its path.

The Malaysian politician said: “And even if we scramble our Sukhois, are we really going to shoot down our own commercial airliner?”

12:23 pm

Malaysia Airlines may struggle to recover from their economic woes due to increased competition.

As the carrier tries to cope with the fallout from flight MH370 their rivals may assure that the airline heads for bankrupcy.

According to financial experts, the carrier is saddled with legacy issues that will be hard to overcome.

AirAsia has now emerged as the regions most successful airline.

11:49 am

Inmarsat has refuted claims that it is yet to release its raw data.

Yesterday, Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that the key information remained with the British satellite firm rather than with those leading the search.

Chris McLaughlin, Inmarsat's vice-president of external relations, said that the matter of releasing the data was in the hands of investigators.

He said: "“Inmarsat’s raw data was provided to the investigation team at an early stage in the search for MH370."

The company was responsible for pinpointing the jet's flight path.

11:02 am

Malaysia Airline Chief Executive Ahmad Jauhari says that the carrier will likely not turn a profit this year.

The airline has incurred a significant downturn since the disappearance of flight MH370.

"Our turnaround plan for profitability by end of 2014 is probably now not achievable.”

10:22 am

The Sulu incursion in Lahad Datu, Sabah, was 10 times more difficult to manage than the flight MH370 disaster, says Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

The Malaysian politician made the comments as the search for the missing aircraft reaches its 70th day.

Distinguishing between the two events, Hussein said that revealing information during the Sulu insurgency could have threatened lives.

He also noted that Malaysia did not have the benefit of outside expertise like it does now.

“The experience in Lahad Datu had matured me,” said Hussein.

9:53 am

Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein says the whole world should take the blame for the unsuccessful search for flight MH370.

The unprecedented hunt for the missing airline has not yet uncovered a single piece of debris to prove the plane's last location.

It has now been 70 days since the aircraft disappeared.

“If you want to apportion blame, you have to apportion blame to nearly the whole world,” Hussein said.

6:17 pm

A Malaysia Airlines plane was grounded today after it was hit by a ground vehicle at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

The belly of the Boeing 737 was dented on the plane that was due to fly to Myanmar.

Izham Ismail, Malaysia Airlines operations director, said: "Our engineers were on site to assess the damage.

"The preliminary assessment showed no immediate risk to the structure of the aircraft. However the grounding of the aircraft was necessary to conduct a thorough check."

5:04 pm

The survival of Malaysia Airlines is in doubt after their first quarter financial report

The results, which were announced this morning, showed slumps of 59%.

3:21 pm

The cost of the search for flight MH370 was mostly borne by third parties according to Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

The search for the missing flight is the most expensive in aviation history but according to Hussein Malaysia has hardly spent anything.

He said: “To be honest and to be very candid, (we have spent) hardly anything... considering nearly the whole fleet of P3 Orions, the Illusion from China and P8 Poseidon, as well as the vessels from China in first phase."

Volunteering third parties were explained as the biggest spenders.

2:50 pm

Malaysia Airlines' first-quarter report revealed the carrier's lowest financial results in two years.

Sales in China are to blame after they slumped by 60% in March.

The majority of the passengers flying on flight MH370 were Chinese.

However, it was the fifth quarterly loss for the carrier which reflects ongoing financial issues prior to the disappearing aircraft.

Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that the government has no plans to provide any financial assistance to bail out Malaysia Airlines.

1:21 pm

Acting Malaysian Minister of Transport, Hishammuddin Hussein closed this morning's press conference by assuring that the search will continue for the missing flight MH370.

He said: "I understand that the disappearance of MH370 has caused terrible anguish for the families.

"As pointed out by the Malaysian Prime Minister, the lack of definitive evidence combined with all the speculations that has been going around has made this all the more difficult to bear.

"The best we can offer at this point in time is our personal assurance that Malaysia will keep searching for the plane for as long as it takes."

1:15 pm

The Malaysian Cabinet has agreed to establish a committee to strengthen communication between Malaysia, China and Australia.

The committee will be headed by Jailani Johari, the Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia.

It will also work to streamline and strengthen communication between the authorities and the families of those on board the lost flight MH370.

Acting Malaysian Minister of Transport, Hishammuddin Hussein, said: "This is to ensure the release of timely and transparent information which is consistent with our effort to improve communications related to this incident."

12:59 pm

Plans have been put into place for the next of kin.

In the event that a final resting place or debris relating to flight MH370 is identified, a programme will be in place for friends and relatives of the passengers.

Malaysia Airlines will be in charge of travel arrangements and Australia have agreed to provide support for those seeking entry into the country.

The Chinese government have also given their assurance that they will continue to support matters relating to the next of kin.

Acting Malaysian Minister of Transport Hishammuddin Hussein, said: "We understand the anguish that the families are going through and I can assure you that their interests have always been paramount in all our considerations thus far."

12:46 pm

Commercial contractors will be used during the search for MH370, Acting Minister of Transport Hishammuddin Hussein confirmed.

Their procurement will be undertaken by Australia who will be in consultation with Malaysia.

"This will reinforce our strong bilateral relationship and will enhance the coordination of activities for the overall search," said Hussein.

"The procurement process will be done through an open or limited tender process based on Commonwealth standards to facilitate cost-effectiveness and best value for money. "

Hussein says this process will be put into place as soon as possible to ensure operations are not interrupted.

12:39 pm

The bathymetric survey that was announced as part of the Transition Phase by Hishammuddin Hussein will ensure that assets are safely deployed.

The Acting Minister of Transport said it is needed because the vessels that are being used are very scarce and expensive.

This includes Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) and Deep Water Towed Side Scan Sonars.

Using this equipment will help experts better understand the seabed terrain during the deep-sea search.

12:31 pm

The Transition Phase has three main priorities which were outlined by Acting Minister of Transport Hishammuddin Hussein this morning.

Firstly, all data will be re-analysed to make the search more accurate.

Secondly, a bathymetric survey will be conducted which will involve extensive mapping of the seabed.

Lastly, a search operation will be conducted by identifying relevant towed and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV).

"In the meeting, we have also agreed to conduct weekly conferences via video teleconferencing between representatives of the three nations to discuss the latest developments regarding the search operation," said Hussein.

The first of these video conferences will take place on Monday 19 May.

12:20 pm

Acting Minister of Transport Hishammuddin Hussein has revealed the details from the Tripartite Ministerial Meeting.

At the assembly which was attended by China, Australia and Malaysia it was agreed that the search operation has entered a Transition Phase.

It will now prioritise the deep-sea hunt and suspend the air and surface search.

"An Australian P3 Orion and naval ships from Malaysia, Australia and the People’s Republic of China remain on standby in Perth for any eventuality," said Hussein.

"In the meantime sub-surface search using the Bluefin - 21 will ensure the continuation of previous efforts."

Two weeks after Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished, there is still no sign of the missing jet.

Today search teams led by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority scoured a remote area of the southern Indian Ocean for a second day, but found no sign of floating objects seen in the area days earlier.

A transcript showing the final communication between the jet and air traffic controllers was released today. It revealed the plane's last contact with the ground and its turn west happened at the moment of handover between air authorities in Malaysia and Vietnam.

6:10 am

Australia's prime minister says two objects possibly related to the missing Malaysia Airlines flight have been spotted on satellite imagery.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott told Parliament in Canberra that a Royal Australian Airforce Orion has been diverted to the area to attempt to locate the objects.

The Orion is expected to arrive in the area later today. Three additional aircraft are expected to follow for a more intensive search.

Mr Abbott cautioned, however, that the task of locating these objects will be extremely difficult and "it may turn out that they are not related to the search for flight MH370".

6:16 am

Tony Abbott did not say where the objects were. Military planes from Australia, the US and New Zealand were covering a search region over the southern Indian Ocean that was narrowed down yesterday from 232,000 square miles to 117,000 square miles.

The hunt for the Boeing 777 has been punctuated by several false leads since it disappeared on March 8 above the Gulf of Thailand.

Oil slicks that were spotted did not contain jet fuel. A yellow object thought to be from the plane turned out to be a piece of sea trash. Chinese satellite images showed possible plane debris, but nothing was found.

But this is the first time that possible objects have been spotted since the search area was massively expanded into two corridors, one stretching from northern Thailand into Central Asia and the other from the Strait of Malacca down to southern reaches of the Indian Ocean.

6:17 am

The Australian maritime agency has released this image showing the area where they suspect the debris to be.

Search crews are on the way there but there are reports of poor visibility in the area.

6:19 am

Mr Abbott said he spoke to the prime minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak, about the latest developments.

Australia's high commissioner to Malaysia, Rod Smith, joined a meeting of senior Malaysia search officials at a Kuala Lumpur hotel after Mr Abbott's announcement. Mr Smith did not respond to reporters' questions.

Nearly two weeks after the plane went missing, the FBI has joined forces with Malaysian authorities in analysing deleted data on a flight simulator belonging to the pilot of the missing jet.

6:21 am

Two images spotted by satellites that may be potential debris from a missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner were "indistinct", with the largest measuring 24 metres, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said on Thursday.

"They are objects of a reasonable size and probably awash with water moving up and down over the surface," John Young, general manager of the emergency response division of AMSA, said.

Australia has sent four search aircraft and two ships to an area south of the search zone in the southern Indian Ocean it identified earlier this week to search for the objects pinpointed by satellites.

Water in the search area was "several thousand metres deep" and poor visibility in the area would hamper the search, although the weather was moderate, Young said.

6:24 am

China's foreign ministry said today that it hopes Australia can send ships and aircraft as soon as possible to investigate two objects spotted by satellite floating in the southern Indian Ocean that may be from a missing Malaysian plane.

China has told its embassy in Australia to stay in close touch with the Australian government and help in search efforts, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The foreign ministry's statement came after Australian officials said an Australian air force AP-3C Orion plane was already at the scene, and more aircraft were on the way.

A merchant ship diverted for the task was due to arrive in a few hours.

6:36 am

In his announcement, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said that there was a chance the objects were not from MH370.

He said: "The images were captured by satellite. They may not be related to the aircraft.

"The assessment of these images was provided by the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation as a possible indication of debris south of the search area that has been the focus of the search operation.

"The imagery is in the vicinity of the search area defined and searched in the past two days.

"Four aircraft have been reoriented to the area 2500 kilometres south-west of Perth as a result of this information."

6:43 am

Four aircraft are now in the area, approximately 1,500 miles south-west of Perth, including Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion and A U.S. Navy P8 Poseidon aircraft.

Australia is also sending a C-130 Hercules aircraft and a merchant ship is also assisting in the search.

Getty

This is one of the AP-3C Orion aircraft that is expected to help search for the missing plane

6:48 am

John Young (pictured below) told a news conference in Canberra, Australia's capital, that planes had been sent to the area about 1,550 miles south-west of Perth to check on the objects.

He said that satellite images "do not always turn out to be related to the search even if they look good, so we will hold our views on that until they are sighted close-up".

Mr Young said visibility was poor and may hamper efforts to find the objects.

He said they "are relatively indistinct on the imagery ... but those who are experts indicate they are credible sightings.

"The indication to me is of objects that are a reasonable size and probably awash with water, moving up and down over the surface."

Reuters

6:50 am

Reacting to the news Malaysian acting transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said: "At 10:00 this morning, Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Razak received a call from Prime Minister Tony Abbott of Australia, informing him that 'two possible objects related to the search' for MH370 had been identified in the Southern Indian Ocean.

"The Australian High Commissioner has also briefed me on the situation.

"At this stage, Australian officials have yet to establish whether these objects are indeed related to the search for MH370."

REUTERS/Edgar Su

6:59 am

President Barack Obama says finding out what happened to the missing Malaysia Airlines plane is a top priority for the U.S.

In his first public comments on the disappearance, Mr Obama said that every available U.S. resource is being used in the search, including the FBI, the National Transportation Safety Board and others who deal with aviation.

Finding the plane will take time because the search area is so vast, he said, but the U.S. will continue working in close cooperation with the Malaysian government, which is leading the investigation, "to see if we can get to the bottom of this".

"We have put every resource that we have available at the disposal of the search process," Mr Obama said in an interview with Dallas-Fort Worth television station KDFW.

He said the nation's thoughts and prayers were with the grieving families. Three Americans were aboard the flight.

"We're going to keep on working with the international community" to try to determine what happened to the plane," the president said.

7:04 am

Australia has released the image below showing the possible debris from the missing Malaysian Airlines passenger jet.

The image is a little grainy, which would explain the country's reluctance to confirm for sure whether or not it's from the plane.

7:08 am

Here's a close-up of the floating object 1,550 miles off the coast of Perth, Australia.